Nine members of the National Unity Party (NUP) have been designated to key leadership posts in the 16^th Congress following the recent completion of the memberships in the standing and special committees of the House of Representatives.

Rep. Roberto Puno (1^st district, Antipolo), who was elected as one of six Deputy Speakers in the House, is the highest ranking NUP solon in the 16^th Congress. As Deputy Speaker he has a voice and a vote in all the standing and special committees in the House, as stated under Section 30 of the Chamber’s rules.

Besides Puno, Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo (2^nd district, Valenzuela City), was named Deputy Majority Leader on Rules and also gets to sit and vote in all the House committees.

NUP vice president Elpidio Barzaga Jr., who represents Dasmarinas City, was designated as chairperson of the committee on games and amusements and is also vice chairperson of the committees on constitutional amendments and good government and public accountability.

The other NUP members who were assigned to committee chairmanships in the House are: Representatives Fredenil Castro (2^nd district, Capiz), who was named chairperson of the suffrage and electoral reforms panel and also vice chairperson of the committee on public information; Jeffrey Ferrer (4th district, Negros Occidental), public order and safety, and vice chairperson, dangerous drugs;  Tupay Loong (1^st district, Sulu), Muslim affairs, and vice chairperson, national defense and security;

Arnulfo Go (2^nd district, Sultan Kudarat), Mindanao affairs; Karlo Alexei Nograles (1^st district, Davao City), labor and employment and vice chairperson of the committees on human rights and revision of laws; and Benhur Salimbangon, 4^th district, Cebu), aquaculture and fisheries resources, and vice chairperson of the committee on housing and urban development.

Several party members were also designated as vice chairpersons of the various House committees. They include Representatives Enrique Garcia (2^nd district, Bataan) as vice chairperson of the committees on ways and means, banks and financial intermediaries, ethics and privileges, and trade and industry; Frederick Abueg (2^nd district, Palawan) food security; Franz Joseph Alvarez (1^st district, Palawan), tourism; Maria Vida Bravo (1^st district, Masbate), social services and welfare of children;

Representatives Maria Theresa Bonoan (4^th district, Manila), Metro Manila development; Nelson Dayanghirang (1^st district, Davao Oriental), accounts and natural resources;  Luis Ferrer (6^th district, Cavite), local government; Evelyn Mellana (2^nd district, Agusan del Sur), agriculture and food and higher and technical education; Damian Mercado (lone district, Southern Leyte), public works and highways; Magnolia Rose Nadres (4^th district, Nueva Ecija), agrarian reform, basic education and culture, interparliamentary relations and diplomacy and poverty alleviation;

Representatives Emil Ong (2^nd district, Northern Samar), appropriations, information and communications technology and transportation; Gavin Pancho (2^nd district, Bulacan), cooperatives development and economic affairs; Maria Valentina Plaza (1^st district, Agusan del Sur), civil service and professional regulation, energy and government enterprises and privatization;

Raden Sakaluran (1^st district, Sultan Kudarat), rural development; Maria Victoria Sy-Alvarado (1^st district, Bulacan), appropriations and small business and entrepreneurship development; Randolph Ting (3^rd district, Cagayan), North Luzon Quadrangle; Juliette Uy (2^nd district, Misamis Oriental), national cultural communities; Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso (2^nd district, Cagayan), legislative franchises.